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G1 Climax 2015 Results: Day 12

The G1 Climax reaches Day 12 as Block B in once again prominently featured. A few days remaining before 3-day Sumo Hall ending stretch, the main event features a very interesting CHAOS VS CHAOS encounter as Okada faces Ishii in the main event.

G1 Climax Day 12 Results: August 7, 2015

Yohei Komatsu def. Jay White

CHAOS (YOSHI-HASHI and Toru Yano) def. the team of David Finlay and Tetsuya Naito

The team of Ryusuke Taguchi, Tiger Mask, and Katsuyori Shibata def. the team of Mascara Dorada, KUSHIDA, and Hiroshi Tanahashi

G1 Climax Block B Matches:

Michael Elgin (6) def. Yuji Nagata (2)

One has to admit: Michael Elgin wrestling in Japan has been a revelation. He has been putting on great matches and getting very good reactions from the crowd. And by the looks of things, his first trip can be classified as an enjoyable one. Elgin's stock has definitely gone up because of this tour, and don't be surprised if he returns to NJPW in any capacity. Nagata is still Mr. Anti-Aging, and that's a good thing.

These two men put on a satisfying opener, with both men being able to do their usual spots. It had a good first half, but the second half of the match felt a little slower than usual. Nonetheless, they were able to keep the crowd invested in their match and made it an enjoyable encounter, with Elgin winning the match via the Elgin Bomb.

Rating: 3/5

Karl Anderson (6) def. Tomoaki Honma (0)

It's an accepted fact that Honma is not going to win the entire tournament, much less win his own block. But the one magical thing about Honma's matches is that he can make people believe. He will make you believe that he has the chance to win despite being a long-time, albeit charismatic, underdog. And that is the charm in his matches: making you believe that he can finally win even for just once in the entire tournament. His stock is rising just for that factor alone.

His match against Anderson further exemplifies the point. Not only are they able to produce a pretty good match, but they were also able to tell a good story with the time allotted to them. At this point in the tournament, the big question to ask here is will he secure at least one win this time around? And if so, against who?

Rating: 3.5/5

Hirooki Goto (6) def. Satoshi Kojima (4)

For the time provided to them, they managed to create a hard hitting match that allowed them to hit their usual spots. Goto winning the match made sense as he needed some momentum to keep the suspense going into Block B. Kojima, for his age, continues to be a true beast and showed once again why he is a top tier talent when he needs to be. Overall, as expected, great match.

Rating: 4/5

Shinsuke Nakamura (6) def. Yujiro Takahashi (4)

On paper, a Nakamura-Takahashi match feels like a match that is both interesting and with potential. The man with swag who always delivers in big match situations VS a pimp with an amateur wrestling background and proven credentials.

Unfortunately, despite efforts from both men, the match was unable to reach the heights that was expected of a semi-final. The match dragged along and didn't hit the right beats right until the finishing stretch of the match. It also felt odd that it took 3 Boma Ye's to take down Mr. Rated R.

This match could have been better considering their credentials, but sometimes, it's just hit or miss in a tournament where you are obligated to face everyone in a block.

Rating: 2/5

Kazuchika Okada (8) def. Tomohiro Ishii (8)

The second of three CHAOS VS CHAOS encounters in Block B main evented the night as the Rainmaker and the Stone Pitbull faced each other for the all-important lead in Block B.

After the very disappointing semi-final, it was up to Okada and Ishii to make sure that the main event and the hype delivered. Both men gave everything they have to make sure their opponent stayed down, and when you're watching an Ishii match, you know how stiff the match can be. At certain moments in the match, the crowd actually thought Ishii was going to pull the upset and take out Okada. In the end, it was a timely German Suplex-Rainmaker combo that gave Okada both the win and, more importantly, the Block B lead sitting at 10 points.

Amazing to see how Ishii is being considered a serious threat now, as compared to two years ago when he got his initial G1 opportunity. To see Ishii in the spot he is in now, a main event player, is an example of how the G1 Climax changes careers. That said, it was the smart move to have Okada and Ishii main event the show. Will Okada-Nakamura be able to top the previous 2 CHAOS VS CHAOS matches? Only time will tell.